Sacred symbols in the film “Inside”

Abstract

Genre-wise the article is a form of publication of analytical conclusions resulting from researching religious symbolism within the movie. The material for interpretation was derived from mass media, in particular cinematography. The article describes religious symbolism within the film " Inside " (2023). It is made apparent that the wide array of religious symbols in modern cinema requires a new approach. Issues with defining religious symbolism in cinema have inspired a search of appropriate methods and research methodology. The article utilizes analytical approach based on religious symbolism found in the artistic source material. At the same time, we do not address the question of the purpose for which the filmmakers employed this religious symbolism. With that considered the goal of the scientific research was to track down instances of religious symbolism in "Inside" film. It has been established that, despite the film’s ostensibly secular character, it incorporates elements of religious symbolism. Among the key sacred motifs identified are: Temple, altar, and the Tower of Babel. The apartment into which the thief Nemo breaks is conceived and constructed as a temple of art. Nemo is like the biblical Jacob. Ritual mantras and initiation. The symbolism of William Blake. Nemo explicitly cites William Blake’s dictum, «Without contraries is no progression», as he comes to recognize the need for atonement for his transgressions — a process that unfolds within the enclosed space of the apartment The Flood as purification. The flood, a universal symbol of purification in archaic worldviews, is utilized in the "Inside" film to perform precisely that function: to cleanse both the main character and the environment surrounding him. Sacrifice and atonement through art. Nemo offers a sacrifice for his sin and seeks purification. His confinement within the enclosed space of the apartment constitutes, in itself, both a process of purification and an act of atonement. The study concludes that religious symbolism in the film is present predominantly in an implicit and metaphorical form.